Houston Dynamo will officially have the opportunity to defend their MLS Cup championship.
Dwayne De Rosario and Ricardo Clark scored second-half goals to power Dynamo to a 3-1 victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on Sunday evening.
The win vaulted Dynamo back over Chivas USA atop the Western Conference table. Dynamo secured a playoff berth with four games to spare, now with 45 points from their 26 games, one more than Chivas.
Ryan Cochrane also scored for Dynamo as the visitors dominated the match.
Corey Ashe helped Dynamo generate their first scoring chance. Ashe fed Ryan Cochrane, who sent a well-placed ball to the corner of the penalty area. Brian Mullan raced onto the ball and sent a pass across the six-yard box. A trio of Galaxy defenders was there, however, and Troy Roberts cleared the bouncing ball.
De Rosario set up Houston's first goal. In the 21st minute, De Rosario hit a well-placed corner kick to the far post, that was flicked on as it sailed across the top of the goal area. Cochrane muscled Galaxy forward Gavin Glinton off the ball and tucked the shot on the roof first-time.
For Cochrane, the goal was his first of the season and just the second of his four-year career.
Five minutes later, though, the Galaxy answered with a successful corner kick of their own. Landon Donovan sent a corner kick to the center of the penalty area. Gordon slipped away from his marker and buried a header into the back of the net.
In the 42nd minute, Brian Ching replaced Joseph Ngwenya. Minutes earlier, Ngwenya rolled his left ankle and was unable to continue. For Ching, it was the first time in four matches that he has seen playing time. Nursing a strained left calf, Ching last played on Aug. 19 against FC Dallas.
Not 10 seconds into the second half, Dynamo were awarded a penalty kick. Galaxy defender Mike Randolph held the ball along the end line as Mullan raced from behind. Mullan plucked the ball away from Randolph and darted inside the penalty area. Randolph knocked Mullan down from behind and referee Brian Hall pointed to the spot.
De Rosario buried his attempt past Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon and suddenly Dynamo had the lead back.
Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad turned away Galaxy striker Glinton in the 57th minute as the hosts threatened the net. The Galaxy worked the ball around and Donovan wound up with it at the top of the penalty area. Donovan slipped a ball to Kyle Martino on the left side of the area, who crossed to the front of the six-yard box. Glinton had a free header but hit the ball right to Onstad's feet.
Former Galaxy forward Nate Jaqua displayed some of the tough luck he had while with L.A. Ricardo Clark sent a through-ball to Ching, who ran down the right side of the field. Ching centered to Jaqua, who flicked the ball at goal. The ball skipped past Cannon, rattled the left post and bounced across the goal line. Cannon dived and snared the bouncing ball.
Jaqua had just one goal in 10 games before Dynamo acquired him in exchange for Kelly Gray. In 10 games with Dynamo, Jaqua has five goals, including a hat trick in a 4-3 win against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 8.
Gray, meanwhile, came on as a substitute in the 64th minute when he replaced Glinton.
Ching nearly put Dynamo ahead by two. In the 68th minute, Ashe tried to center the ball to Ching. The ball bounced off Galaxy defender Chris Klein and fell at Ching's feet. From six yards out, Ching ripped a shot but Cannon dived and stopped the shot.
Houston again took advantage of another fortuitous break to widen the lead in the 73rd minute. De Rosario fed Clark at the top of the penalty area. Clark found Ching, who then slipped it forward for a give-and-go. The ball rolled slowly, however, and Galaxy defender Ty Harden was in position to clear the ball. However, Harden pulled up and Cannon stayed on his line and Clark finished his run. With Peter Vagenas draped on him, Clark nonetheless knocked the ball into back of the net.
With the goal, Dynamo have now scored three or more goals in seven games this season. They are unbeaten in their last five games. For the Galaxy, it was their eighth loss in the last nine league games, and the fifth time in that stretch where they've allowed three or more goals.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
